Dr. Liz Thach, MW

The White and Pink Side of Piedmont Wine

For anyone who has traveled to the tiny wine villages of Piedmont, Italy, with vine covered hills flanked by the snow-covered Italian Alps in the distance, the memory is usually pleasurable. Thoughts of tannic red Barolo and Barbaresco wines paired with black truffle pasta often come to mind, along with sparkling Moscato di Asti with pear gallete for dessert. Piedmont Italy with Wine Villages and Italian Alps. Photo Credit: Stefano Pertusia But rarely does one hear about the still white and pink wines of Piedmont, and except for the Cortese grape from the region of Gavi, many of these are [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-04-14T10:11:29-07:00April 13, 2021|

Rolling Hills and Spanish Varieties at Bokisch Winery in Lodi

Bokisch was the second winery we visited during our tour of the Lodi Wine region, and we were pleasantly surprised at its location on the crest of a small hill overlooking a vast vineyard. While the majority of Lodi vineyards are planted on the flat sandy soil of the Delta, Bokisch is located in the Clement Hills AVA. Here the elevation can range from 100 to 450 feet above sea level, and provides beautiful views of undulating hills covered with vineyards and wildflowers. Bokisch Winery in Lodi, California Liz Bokisch welcomed us, and we followed her to a beautiful outdoor [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:47-07:00March 21, 2021|

Oak Farm Vineyards – One of the Most Elegant Wineries in Lodi

As we listened to the voice of our GPS and turned down a narrow road, we were unprepared for the magnificence of the winery we were about to visit – Oak Farm Vineyards. My husband and I were touring the Lodi Wine region for two-days, and all around us stretched row upon row of bare grape vines, their limbs gnarly and black on a grey February day. The landscape was flat, composed of the sandy soil deposited by the confluence of two great rivers – the Sacramento and San Joaquin. Together they created the famous California Delta, home to some [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:48-07:00March 1, 2021|

Overview of 2020 US Wine Market Stats and 10 Hot Wine Trends for 2021

Though the US wine market endured a very bumpy ride in 2020, with many dire predictions of loss and doom due to the pandemic and wildfires, now that the numbers are in, the results are not that dismal. Yes, of course, on-premise wine sales plummeted, but off-premise and online sales came to the rescue. This caused the year to end with a surprising increase of 4.98% in still wine volume at 372 million 9-liter cases in 2020, compared to 357 million cases in 2019, according to BW166. Of this total, 84.7 million cases of still wine were imported in 2020. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-26T08:53:29-08:00February 11, 2021|

Lodi Wine Region Fights to Save Ancient Grape Vines

Old grape vines are literally living, breathing pieces of agricultural history, with the grace of a magnificent sculpture. In the Lodi Wine Region of California, home to the highest concentration of old vines in America, with many of them over 100 years of age, there is a fight going on to preserve these ancient beauties. Bechthold Vineyard in Lodi Planted in 1886. A Heart-Breaking Choice Unfortunately, due to the increasing costs of vineyard management, low yields, urban developments, and a diminishing financial return, hundreds of acres of old winegrape vines around the world are ripped out each year. For growers [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:19:51-07:00November 14, 2020|

New Rosé Wine Revolution in Puglia, Italy

Many regions of the world produce lovely “pink” rosé wine, but an area getting more attention now is the Puglia region of Southern Italy. Nestled along the Adriatic Ocean in the “boot heel” of Italy, Puglia – also called Apulia – and pronounced “pulia,” is producing rosé wines from their native grapes. However, in Italy, the term for rosé wine is "rosato." Rosé wine from Puglia in Southern Italy. Photo Credit; Association Instagram What Types of Grapes Go Into Puglia Rosé Wine? Rosé wines are usually made by pressing red grapes early and letting the juice sit on the skin [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T17:30:51-08:00October 16, 2020|

Josh Hart, NBA Player and Wine Fan, Announces New Scholarship with Wine Access

For centuries, wine has been a cultural experience that brings people of all backgrounds together. With this in mind, Wine Access, the online wine retailer curating the world’s highest quality wines and immersive tasting experiences, partnered with Josh Hart, NBA player and wine enthusiast, to create a Diversity In Wine Scholarship Program. Josh Hart Announcing Wine Diversity Scholarship This scholarship aims to promote diversity and inclusivity in the wine industry and increase representation of the BIPOC community. As a company made up of wine experts with different backgrounds and experiences, Wine Access strives to provide more opportunities for minority groups [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T17:32:25-08:00September 22, 2020|

Intercept Wine, Created by Black NFL Player Charles Woodson, Now Available Across the US

Charles Woodson is the only defensive player ever to win a Heisman Trophy, and now he has achieved another triumph. After launching Intercept Wine in partnership with O’Neill Vintners & Distillers in 2019, Woodson was confronted by an issue which many producers in the wine industry face – trying to get wine distributed in more than just a few states. In the beginning Intercept Wine was only available in 15 states, but now it has achieved full national distribution through its partnership with O’Neill Vintners & Distillers. Charles Woodson with his wine brand, Intercept This makes Super Bowl champion, Charles [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T17:33:10-08:00September 17, 2020|

Ferrari Cars Celebrate With Ferrari Trento Sparkling Wines

Two iconic Italian brands come together in Florence on September 12 and 13th to celebrate the 1000th Grand Prix. The famous Ferrari car company partners with the historic Ferrari Trento sparkling wine company for this special occasion. Photo Credit: Ferrari Scuderia and Ferrari Trento Sparkling Wine For the first time in its history, the Mugello Circuit will host a FIA Formula 1 World Championship™ class race, and its coinciding with the important milestone of Scuderia Ferrari –the only team present in all of the 70 editions raced till now – has created the perfect occasion for celebrating in style in Florence with a Gala [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-06T21:03:25-08:00September 12, 2020|

A Visit to the Legendary Eisele Vineyards of Napa Valley

Established in the 1880’s, Eisele Vineyards, nestled in a special corner of Napa Valley is only 38 acres in size. This small size, along with a prestigious history of producing some of the highest quality wines in the valley over many years and multiple owners, has propelled it to the top echelon of Napa Valley vineyards, and is rightly referred to as a “Grand Cru” vineyard by some professionals. Famous Eisele Vineyard of Napa Valley, California I had a chance to visit this “sacred vineyard” for the first time in August 2020, under strict COVID safety procedures, and meet with [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:48-07:00September 7, 2020|

A Gourmet Wine Picnic Lunch at Swanson Vineyards on a Toasty Day

We scheduled our COVID safe visit to Swanson Vineyards in Napa Valley on a clear sunny day with temperatures hovering around the 100 degree mark. When we booked the Gourmet Picnic wine-tasting experience online, we didn’t know the heat would be so intense, but with the beautiful shade trees casting dappled patterns over the French style garden, complete with pea gravel and padded chairs, it turned out to be a lovely meal. Whimsical French Garden at Swanson Vineyards in Napa Valley Friends Rave About Swanson Vineyards For years I’ve had different sets of friends tell me how wonderful a visit [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:48-07:00August 22, 2020|

Wine Harvest Begins Early in Italy, France, and California – with a Promising Harvest at Ornellaia

Due to stronger heat than normal this summer, many famous wine regions are beginning grape harvest one to three weeks earlier in 2020, compared to previous years. In Italy, at Ornellaia Winery, nestled in the heart of Bolgheri on the Tuscan Coast, harvest commenced on August 13, one week earlier than usual. In addition to the heat, they have had to adjust to the new COVID safety protocols of social distancing in both the vineyards and the cellars. Social Distancing in Ornellaia Vineyard Social Distancing During Grape Harvest “Distancing is natural in the vineyards,” explains Estate Director Axel Heinz. However, [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-30T21:10:18-08:00August 21, 2020|

Two New Napa Wineries Created by Same Family – Accendo Cellars and Trois Noix

The name “Araujo” is quite famous in Napa Valley, as Bart and Daphne Araujo ran their namesake winery for 24 years, crafting a string of some of the most highly rated Napa Cabs from the legendary Eisele Vineyard. But with an offer “that came out of the blue” from the Artemis Group to purchase Araujo Estate in 2013, they decided the timing was right to move onto another “project.” Fast forward to 2020 with a brand new winery at Wheeler Farms, a private custom-crush facility located in St. Helena, where the Araujo’s, along with daughter Jaime, have created two new [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:48-07:00August 16, 2020|

Hawaii Meets Napa Valley at Tedeschi Winery

I first met Emilio Tedeschi as a wine MBA student in a class I was teaching at Sonoma State University. When he introduced himself, he said he was born in Hawaii, but was planning on taking over the family wine business in Napa Valley called Tedeschi Family Winery. At the time I thought this was rather unusual, until I recently visited Emilio at his boutique 2000-case winery near the town of Calistoga – and learned the rest of the story. Entrance to Tedeschi Winery in Napa Valley Arriving at Tedeschi Winery Since this visit occurred during COVID-19, my friend Charlie [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:48-07:00August 8, 2020|

Bubbles, Swords and Potato Chips at Breathless Winery

Do you enjoy sparkling wine? If so, consider scheduling a visit to Breathless Winery in Sonoma County, California. As part of our continuing series on supporting local wineries during COVID by scheduling safe visits to winery tasting rooms, a small group of us ventured to the town of Healdsburg where Breathless is located. There we were greeted with a flutes of delicious bubbly wine, potato chip appetizers and a saboring demonstration with a sword. Three Sisters and Penny the Wine Maker - Photo Credit: Breathless Wines Breathless Awarding Winning Wines Famous Even in France I first heard of Breathless several [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:20:49-07:00August 1, 2020|

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